Tour de France - Stage 9, 168.5km - Saint-Girons / Bagnères-de-Bigorre, July 7th

[Dazed and Confused]

Pace must be kept high in favorites group to setup attack possibilities on the last climb of the stage and remove Porte from the GC for good.

 

[woodie]

Maybe, but the way Froome is riding he might equally as well told the boys to take a day off

haha maybe, somehow I don't think so though

 

[The Hitch]

Ive been watching for an hour and the stage is still living off its potential and not off any actual development. Froome doesn't have his domestiques but they are on the way back and hes been sitting pretty the whole way.

Baring in mind that Froome is going to take minutes on Alpe, Ventoux, Annency, and both tts, they really need to do something now or the Tour is over, still.

 

[Stetoe]

Excellent tactical choice by ten Dam to not follow Froome and Valverde when Valverde attacked.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Movistar and Saxo should be drilling it.

 

[Donkey]

I dont understand why anybody thinks that Saxo should help Moviestar and otherway. They are riding for their leaders.

this is exactly the dumb attitude that sometimes happens.
rider/team is leading and the rest of the field is looking at each other/fighting each other.
I don't like those who are fighting for second or third place not considering advantage they create for the leading team.

 

[GroupDK]

they need to keep pushing.. so sky's crumpling dont get neglect..

 

[saneguy]

Who is the RSLT rider on the front?

 

[Scott SoCal]

Porte 2 minutes behind Froome.

Froome is worried. He never would have chased Valverde himself with three climbs to go in a normal circumstance.

He burned a match there for sure.

 

[Hayabusa]

Sky Train won't get back on but they'll probably save Porte's top ten GC chances.

 

[sulgpallur]

Who is the RSLT rider on the front?

jan bakelands

 

[Rollthedice]

Don't think contador is capable of that based on yesterday

Then Nairo, movistar has to do all the work. What about Andy coming back from the dead?

 

[DenisMenchov]

Who is the RSLT rider on the front?

J. Bakelants

 

[thehog]

Ive been watching for an hour and the stage is still living off its potential and not off any actual development. Froome doesn't have his domestiques but they are on the way back and hes been sitting pretty the whole way.

Baring in mind that Froome is going to take minutes on Alpe, Ventoux, Annency, and both tts, they really need to do something now or the Tour is over, still.

Still 90km to go. If he stays alone he'll have to select who he follows. He is tactically stupid.

 

[roundabout]

Sky Train won't get back on but they'll probably save Porte's top ten GC chances.

Porte is struggling massively.

 

[goggalor]

This stage could be legendary. There's still three back to back 1st cats left. All we've been over so far is a 2nd and a 1st.

 

[Bakhjulet]

Movistar and Saxo should be drilling it.

Two hours of hard racing, they might actually be a bit tired. You know, clean peloton and all...

 

[thehog]

Sky Train won't get back on but they'll probably save Porte's top ten GC chances.

Perhaps Porte can tell the riders to stop reading the papers and attacking?

 

[Hayabusa]

Porte is struggling massively.

Today definitely, but he'll gain time back in the TTs on a lot of the rivals and will probably be strong again after the rest day and flat stages so even if he loses 4+ minutes, he'll still be in with a good shout of the Top 10.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Two hours of hard racing, they might actually be a bit tired. You know, clean peloton and all...

Initially they were sitting back. They needed to ride, even if they were hurting.

 

[sjonnie]

Who is the RSLT rider on the front?

There isn't one. Bardet, Rolland, Le Clerq, Hesjedal, De Gent

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Sky 1'26 behind

 

[Kris13]

this is exactly the dumb attitude that sometimes happens.
rider/team is leading and the rest of the field is looking at each other/fighting each other.
I don't like those who are fighting for second or third place not considering advantage they create for the leading team.

Its not about riding for second place. Its riding about their teams.

For example Moviestar should not help Contador to win, they should help Valverde. And for example Saxo will not help Valverde to win, they will help Contador.

What the point of helping other teams, if your team loses. Always your team priorities first.

 

[rainman]

ahh jesus more freaking ads at a time like this fk ITV

 

[Scott SoCal]

Today definitely, but he'll gain time back in the TTs on a lot of the rivals and will probably be strong again after the rest day and flat stages so even if he loses 4+ minutes, he'll still be in with a good shout of the Top 10.

Funny that.